Why We Need 'Game of Thrones'

by Annalee NewitzApr 11, 20193 minutes

THE EPIC FANTASY SERIES IS MORE THAN JUST ESCAPE. IT IS A WAY OF IMAGINING OUR WAY TO THE FUTURE.

“Game of Thrones” returns on April 14, and with it, the inevitable onslaught of “winter is finally here” memes and a sudden obsession with dragons, knights and internecine feudal politics. But the show isn't just warmed-over fantasy tropes. Its conflicts have become part of our public discourse, and Westeros, its fictional kingdom, has become an allegory for America.